I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty devastated after my second attempt. I'd been working as a CNA aide for almost eight months and felt like I knew the material, but the skills portion kept getting me. My evaluator marked me off for not announcing each step out loud during the bed bath, which I had no idea was such a sticking point.
What finally turned it around was being really systematic about my prep. I found a decent NNAAP practice test online that mimicked the actual format — timed sections, the same weird phrasing they use — and I did it every single night for three weeks. I also printed out a NNAAP study guide that broke down each clinical skill into numbered steps, then practiced on my roommate (she was a very patient sport about it).
My biggest exam tips for anyone struggling: verbalize EVERYTHING during the skills evaluation, even if it feels ridiculous. Wash hands before AND after every single skill. And don't skip the written portion prep — the infection control and patients' rights questions tripped me up way more than I expected.